Husband told me two nights ago that Elise's ACTUAL birth weight wasn't 6 pounds and 7 ounces. I was busy pushing out placenta while they were weighing her, but Husband was standing right there with the nurses. Her birth weight was 6 pounds 6.6 ounces.
The nurse said, "Oh. Well, we'll just call that 7 ounces."
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Arriving At The Hospital
So, Husband, Foster Son and I arrived at the hospital for the second time in less than 5 hours. I had Husband drop me off at the front door while he parked the car and got Foster Son situated because I was leaking amniotic fluid like crazy. I wrapped the towel around my waist and hurried inside.
I remember saying to the nurse checking me in, "Sorry. I'm afraid I might make a mess." And she said, "Well, if you do, we'll just clean it up. Happens all the time."
Some of the same nurses that were on duty the first time we went to the hospital were still on duty. They all smiled and waved and said things like "Hello, again."
I changed into a hospital gown and got examined. First, the nurse took what looked like a big q-tip with some sort of yellow substance on the end and put it in my lady part. The yellow substance turned green (or was it blue? I can't remember). "Yep. Your water broke."
Then the nurse determined that I was dilated to 1.5 cm. As my labor and delivery room was being set up, Husband and I contacted our family and Foster Son's relative arrived to pick him up.
At one point, Foster Son wrapped his blanket around his waist and said, "Look! My water's out!" Cute.
Things start getting blurry after this point. 22 hours of labor after very little sleep and excrutiating pain and the hormones of labor have all helped to make my memories fuzzy. Mercifully, wonderfully fuzzy.
I remember saying to the nurse checking me in, "Sorry. I'm afraid I might make a mess." And she said, "Well, if you do, we'll just clean it up. Happens all the time."
Some of the same nurses that were on duty the first time we went to the hospital were still on duty. They all smiled and waved and said things like "Hello, again."
I changed into a hospital gown and got examined. First, the nurse took what looked like a big q-tip with some sort of yellow substance on the end and put it in my lady part. The yellow substance turned green (or was it blue? I can't remember). "Yep. Your water broke."
Then the nurse determined that I was dilated to 1.5 cm. As my labor and delivery room was being set up, Husband and I contacted our family and Foster Son's relative arrived to pick him up.
At one point, Foster Son wrapped his blanket around his waist and said, "Look! My water's out!" Cute.
Things start getting blurry after this point. 22 hours of labor after very little sleep and excrutiating pain and the hormones of labor have all helped to make my memories fuzzy. Mercifully, wonderfully fuzzy.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
And Then My Water Broke
So, last Monday night we went to the hospital around 8:00 pm to see if I was in labor, and although I was having contractions they weren't effective enough to dilate my cervix and count as real labor. I was sent home.
Husband and I got into bed that night by about 11:00. At 12:45, I woke up to pee. I went to the bathroom and then laid back down in bed. As I did, I felt a something warm leak from between my legs. "Must just be some blood" I thought, as I was bleeding more during the day on Monday.
Then I felt it again. I realized that I'd better check it out. Just as I made it to the toilet, a steady trickle of white-ish/clear-ish fluid formed.
Okay. I'm not peeing. I couldn't stop the stream the way you can with pee.
"Husband! I think my water broke!"
He was up out of bed and in the bathroom right away.
"Smell this. Is it pee? It can't be."
I'd heard that amniotic fluid smells sweet, but we couldn't tell. Either way, it wasn't pee and I was still leaking so we knew it was time to go to the hospital.
We outlined a quick plan of action. First, we will get dressed. Then, Husband will put our packed bags in the car, I'll pack a bag for Foster Son (who will stay with relatives for a few days), Husband will get Foster Son in the car, I will put down food for the cats, and then we leave.
It took us about 15 minutes to get out the door. I soaked through two pads during that time, so as we left I grabbed a towel to sit on in the car. I needed it, too, because on the way to the hospital, I leaked through my jeans.
It was exciting to know that we were going to the hospital for REAL this time. And that we would get to meet Elise soon.
Husband and I got into bed that night by about 11:00. At 12:45, I woke up to pee. I went to the bathroom and then laid back down in bed. As I did, I felt a something warm leak from between my legs. "Must just be some blood" I thought, as I was bleeding more during the day on Monday.
Then I felt it again. I realized that I'd better check it out. Just as I made it to the toilet, a steady trickle of white-ish/clear-ish fluid formed.
Okay. I'm not peeing. I couldn't stop the stream the way you can with pee.
"Husband! I think my water broke!"
He was up out of bed and in the bathroom right away.
"Smell this. Is it pee? It can't be."
I'd heard that amniotic fluid smells sweet, but we couldn't tell. Either way, it wasn't pee and I was still leaking so we knew it was time to go to the hospital.
We outlined a quick plan of action. First, we will get dressed. Then, Husband will put our packed bags in the car, I'll pack a bag for Foster Son (who will stay with relatives for a few days), Husband will get Foster Son in the car, I will put down food for the cats, and then we leave.
It took us about 15 minutes to get out the door. I soaked through two pads during that time, so as we left I grabbed a towel to sit on in the car. I needed it, too, because on the way to the hospital, I leaked through my jeans.
It was exciting to know that we were going to the hospital for REAL this time. And that we would get to meet Elise soon.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Baby's First Trip To The Doctor's Office
Elise had her first doctor's appointment today. We saw a nurse practitioner for a quick check up. She weighed 6 lb 4.6 ounces and was as healthy as can be.
Here, babies get check ups a few days after they leave the hospital to make sure that they're gaining weight. It's normal for babies to lose up to 10% of their birth weight before they leave the hospital, but they should regain that weight by the second week.
Elise was born at 6 lb 7 ounces, dropped to 6 lbs 1 ounce, and is back up to 6 lb 4.6 ounces all within one week. I feel confident that she'll be back up to (or past) her birth weight by this time next week.
Here, babies get check ups a few days after they leave the hospital to make sure that they're gaining weight. It's normal for babies to lose up to 10% of their birth weight before they leave the hospital, but they should regain that weight by the second week.
Elise was born at 6 lb 7 ounces, dropped to 6 lbs 1 ounce, and is back up to 6 lb 4.6 ounces all within one week. I feel confident that she'll be back up to (or past) her birth weight by this time next week.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The "False Alarm"
Elise's birth story begins last Sunday night.
I started having contractions that were fairly regular and that I couldn't make go away. They were between 9 and 7 minutes apart. I was able to go to sleep that night, but the contractions never did stop. By lunchtime on Monday, they were about 5 minutes apart, but still not terribly strong. However, they were annoying and I was extremely tired and I was having more blood in my discharge, so I left work early. Husband came home, too, and worked from home in order to keep watch over me.
At home, Husband and I walked around the neighborhood, I took a hot bath, I layed down for a nap. Nothing was making them stop. In fact, they were getting closer together. They just weren't as strong as I thought they should be in order to count as actual labor. My OBGYN's office said that until they were so strong that I was having trouble talking through them, I didn't need to go to the hospital. I was no where near that level of pain.
By about 7:30, however, the contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart. Husband called the lady who taught our childbirth preparation class to ask for advice. She told us that it doesn't cost anything at our hospital to have them check you out and so we might as well go and see if my labor had started.
We told Foster Son that I had to go to the doctor-- he had been to several of my OBGYN appointments, so that statement didn't alarm him and he's too young to realize that regular doctors don't usually make appointments for 8:00 at night. So we all got in the car and went to the hospital.
When they checked me out, I hadn't dialated or effaced any more at all since my last doctor's appointment. I was definitely having contractions, and we could watch them occuring via the monitor that they hooked around my belly. But they weren't effective enough to open up my cervix. I was so disappointed. A day and a half's worth of annoying contractions did NOTHING to my body?!? The hospital sent me home.
I was really sad about it. Mostly because I couldn't imagine having to go to work the next day and try to focus on my job while my belly was squeezing itself silly every few minutes. I had no idea when the contractions would stop.
Turns out I DIDN'T have to go to work the next day because my water broke in the middle of the night that same night...
I started having contractions that were fairly regular and that I couldn't make go away. They were between 9 and 7 minutes apart. I was able to go to sleep that night, but the contractions never did stop. By lunchtime on Monday, they were about 5 minutes apart, but still not terribly strong. However, they were annoying and I was extremely tired and I was having more blood in my discharge, so I left work early. Husband came home, too, and worked from home in order to keep watch over me.
At home, Husband and I walked around the neighborhood, I took a hot bath, I layed down for a nap. Nothing was making them stop. In fact, they were getting closer together. They just weren't as strong as I thought they should be in order to count as actual labor. My OBGYN's office said that until they were so strong that I was having trouble talking through them, I didn't need to go to the hospital. I was no where near that level of pain.
By about 7:30, however, the contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart. Husband called the lady who taught our childbirth preparation class to ask for advice. She told us that it doesn't cost anything at our hospital to have them check you out and so we might as well go and see if my labor had started.
We told Foster Son that I had to go to the doctor-- he had been to several of my OBGYN appointments, so that statement didn't alarm him and he's too young to realize that regular doctors don't usually make appointments for 8:00 at night. So we all got in the car and went to the hospital.
When they checked me out, I hadn't dialated or effaced any more at all since my last doctor's appointment. I was definitely having contractions, and we could watch them occuring via the monitor that they hooked around my belly. But they weren't effective enough to open up my cervix. I was so disappointed. A day and a half's worth of annoying contractions did NOTHING to my body?!? The hospital sent me home.
I was really sad about it. Mostly because I couldn't imagine having to go to work the next day and try to focus on my job while my belly was squeezing itself silly every few minutes. I had no idea when the contractions would stop.
Turns out I DIDN'T have to go to work the next day because my water broke in the middle of the night that same night...
We're Home
We were able to leave the hospital last night. Got home around 6:00.
I had been discharged Saturday afternoon, but the hospital allows moms to stay and "nest" with their babies if the babies haven't been discharged, too. That means that parents can keep using their room, but the mom is no longer a patient of the hospital and they won't give her any medication or send people to check her vitals or stuff like that. The hospital room becomes more like a hotel room.
Husband and I stayed in the hospital room until Elise was discharged Sunday evening.
So much to tell. I'm just so tired. I'll start telling Elise's birth story soon...
I had been discharged Saturday afternoon, but the hospital allows moms to stay and "nest" with their babies if the babies haven't been discharged, too. That means that parents can keep using their room, but the mom is no longer a patient of the hospital and they won't give her any medication or send people to check her vitals or stuff like that. The hospital room becomes more like a hotel room.
Husband and I stayed in the hospital room until Elise was discharged Sunday evening.
So much to tell. I'm just so tired. I'll start telling Elise's birth story soon...
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Quick Update
So much to tell, but no time. We're still at the hospital (longer than expected) but everyone will be fine.
Elise was born at 10:16 pm on March 9th. She was 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 19.9 inches long. I was given pitocin during labor and took some Nubain during a really rough part of labor but I delivered without and pain medication and I had no epidural. Yay, me!
Gotta go...
Elise was born at 10:16 pm on March 9th. She was 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 19.9 inches long. I was given pitocin during labor and took some Nubain during a really rough part of labor but I delivered without and pain medication and I had no epidural. Yay, me!
Gotta go...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
It's Go Time!!!
My water broke at 12:45 this morning. At the hospital now. Hopefully I dilate more soon.
Eeeeeep!!!
This is crazy.
Eeeeeep!!!
This is crazy.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Pretty In Pink
**** WARNING! Talking about gross stuff again.****
Starting yesterday morning, my discharge has turned pink. That means I'm dilating more and the blood released from my cervix stretching as it dilates and effaces is mixing with my regular discharge, turning it all pink.
A word on discharge during pregnancy. I had no idea about this. At the beginning of pregnancy, I was like, "Yay! No period for 9 months!" Then I bled off and on for months, which was not only scary but kind of a bummer since I was all excited about not having a period. After that, the discharge started happening.
Now, some women just naturally have a lot of discharge when they aren't pregnant, which is totally normal. I'm not one of those women. My lady parts have been very, very kind to me over the years. So I was flabberghasted (though not alarmed) when I needed to start using a pantyliner every day due to the increased amount of discharge that happens during pregnancy.
I understand that my body is trying to keep everything nice and clean and free of bacteria for the baby. Extra discharge is a good thing. It just caught me off guard at first.
Anyway, thanks to the pink, now I know for sure that I'm still dilating and effacing. I've been SO uncomfortable since yesterday, too. My back is killing me. And my contractions seem to start down low in my abdomen instead of up high at the top of my uterus, like they used to.
I'm hoping that I go into labor soon. I mean, I guess that this is sort of pre-labor right now because stuff is clearly going on with my body. But I hope the official contractions start soon. Of course, it could be weeks away. We'll just have to wait and see.
Starting yesterday morning, my discharge has turned pink. That means I'm dilating more and the blood released from my cervix stretching as it dilates and effaces is mixing with my regular discharge, turning it all pink.
A word on discharge during pregnancy. I had no idea about this. At the beginning of pregnancy, I was like, "Yay! No period for 9 months!" Then I bled off and on for months, which was not only scary but kind of a bummer since I was all excited about not having a period. After that, the discharge started happening.
Now, some women just naturally have a lot of discharge when they aren't pregnant, which is totally normal. I'm not one of those women. My lady parts have been very, very kind to me over the years. So I was flabberghasted (though not alarmed) when I needed to start using a pantyliner every day due to the increased amount of discharge that happens during pregnancy.
I understand that my body is trying to keep everything nice and clean and free of bacteria for the baby. Extra discharge is a good thing. It just caught me off guard at first.
Anyway, thanks to the pink, now I know for sure that I'm still dilating and effacing. I've been SO uncomfortable since yesterday, too. My back is killing me. And my contractions seem to start down low in my abdomen instead of up high at the top of my uterus, like they used to.
I'm hoping that I go into labor soon. I mean, I guess that this is sort of pre-labor right now because stuff is clearly going on with my body. But I hope the official contractions start soon. Of course, it could be weeks away. We'll just have to wait and see.
My Husband, My Hero
Husband moved our recliner into our bedroom Saturday night, so that I could sleep in the chair and still be near him. It wasn't easy to move it by himself, but he did it for me. What a guy.
My upper respitory infection (because that's what my cold has now become) makes lying down really uncomfortable. I wake up coughing like crazy and the stuff that comes out of me when I cough is enough to make me want to throw up. When I cough, my abdominal muscles hurt so bad that sometimes it brings tears to my eyes. I'm not exaggerating. Sitting in the recliner makes me feel a lot better.
On the down side, the baby puts more pressure on my bladder when I sleep, so 3 trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night are now more like 6 trips, but I've gotta breathe, so oh well.
The infection seems to be getting better. I'm using saline spray in my nose and that's helping. I hope I can fight it off soon. It's really making me miserable.
My upper respitory infection (because that's what my cold has now become) makes lying down really uncomfortable. I wake up coughing like crazy and the stuff that comes out of me when I cough is enough to make me want to throw up. When I cough, my abdominal muscles hurt so bad that sometimes it brings tears to my eyes. I'm not exaggerating. Sitting in the recliner makes me feel a lot better.
On the down side, the baby puts more pressure on my bladder when I sleep, so 3 trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night are now more like 6 trips, but I've gotta breathe, so oh well.
The infection seems to be getting better. I'm using saline spray in my nose and that's helping. I hope I can fight it off soon. It's really making me miserable.
Piss And Vinegar
I'm unnecessarily angry this morning. I'm so uncomfortable that all I can do is think mean thoughts. Fortunately, I am aware of how irrational I'm being, so I can at least pretend to be nice. Or try to.
My coworker says to me as I'm coming into the building this morning, "You're moving awful slow today! Ha ha ha!"
Want to know why? Because I fucking hurt. Because I have about 6 pounds of baby resting on my pelvis, because my back is killing me, because I'm having unconfortable contractions, because all of my ligaments are getting loose and my knees and ankles wobble when I walk, and because if I walk too fast I get out of breath. I'm not walking slowly to be cute. I'm simply trying to stay in an upright position and maintain some forward momentum.
GOD! I want to punch something.
My coworker says to me as I'm coming into the building this morning, "You're moving awful slow today! Ha ha ha!"
Want to know why? Because I fucking hurt. Because I have about 6 pounds of baby resting on my pelvis, because my back is killing me, because I'm having unconfortable contractions, because all of my ligaments are getting loose and my knees and ankles wobble when I walk, and because if I walk too fast I get out of breath. I'm not walking slowly to be cute. I'm simply trying to stay in an upright position and maintain some forward momentum.
GOD! I want to punch something.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
I Am Packed For The Hospital
As of today, I am packed and ready for the hospital. Husband and I even went and bought one of those little hand-held fans that has a squirt bottle and sprays mist all over you. The instructor for our childbirth preparation class recommended getting one.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Now I Know How To Swaddle
The "Baby Basics" class at the health department was two sessions long and Husband and I took the second session this past Thursday. It was more informative for me than the first class. I learned how to swaddle a baby and give a newborn a sponge bath.
There was also instruction on how to change a diaper and how to dress a baby. They had dolls that we changed and dressed and swaddled.
Oh, and the instructor showed us pictures and "warned" us about how babies look right after they're born. Everything from the extra body hair to what an uncircumsized baby penis looks like. "...and their little testicles are all swollen when they come out, too. Some dads are like 'that's my boy!' but the swelling DOES go down, dads..."
There was also instruction on how to change a diaper and how to dress a baby. They had dolls that we changed and dressed and swaddled.
Oh, and the instructor showed us pictures and "warned" us about how babies look right after they're born. Everything from the extra body hair to what an uncircumsized baby penis looks like. "...and their little testicles are all swollen when they come out, too. Some dads are like 'that's my boy!' but the swelling DOES go down, dads..."
Friday, March 5, 2010
Monkey's Paw
Be careful of what you wish for.
When I first got pregnant, I had these crazy thoughts. I would worry, "I'm not even showing yet. No one can tell that I'm pregnant. What if I got in a car accident and I was unconscious and the hospital gave me all of this medicine that hurt the baby? And they could have given me something different, but they didn't know I was pregnant. And I'm in a coma for, like, 4 months. By then it's too late and the baby comes out without any feet or something..."
So I was really happy when I started showing.
NOW, I'm so big that I waddle when I walk, my pelvis hurts non-stop, and my lower back pops with every step. I can barely fit into my maternity clothes.
There's no mistaking that I'm pregnant. And I don't have one of those tight little pregnant bellies that some women get. Elise likes to ride out front, sticking way out from my body. Every baby sits differently in the womb, but I have literally had strangers say to me, "Ooooh! You're ALL BABY! You must be about to pop!"
Be careful of what you wish for.
When I first got pregnant, I had these crazy thoughts. I would worry, "I'm not even showing yet. No one can tell that I'm pregnant. What if I got in a car accident and I was unconscious and the hospital gave me all of this medicine that hurt the baby? And they could have given me something different, but they didn't know I was pregnant. And I'm in a coma for, like, 4 months. By then it's too late and the baby comes out without any feet or something..."
So I was really happy when I started showing.
NOW, I'm so big that I waddle when I walk, my pelvis hurts non-stop, and my lower back pops with every step. I can barely fit into my maternity clothes.
There's no mistaking that I'm pregnant. And I don't have one of those tight little pregnant bellies that some women get. Elise likes to ride out front, sticking way out from my body. Every baby sits differently in the womb, but I have literally had strangers say to me, "Ooooh! You're ALL BABY! You must be about to pop!"
Be careful of what you wish for.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Mommy Unplugged
****WARNING! I'm talking about gross stuff again.****
This past Tuesday, I was sitting in Husband's office as we were finishing up our break. All of a sudden, I felt something warm between my legs. Husband saw the look of surprise on my face as I jumped up and closed his door.
I shoved my hand down my pants, but I didn't feel anything wet. I thought that maybe I'd started leaking amniotic fluid.
"Something just happened. Walk me to the bathroom?"
Husband and I found this situation amusing because just as we pulled into work that morning, Husband's low-gasoline light started blinking. "Wouldn't it be ironic if my water breaks today?" I'd said. Not that we wouldn't have the time to stop and fill up the gas tank, but it just seemed like the kind of thing that would happen. Boom! My water breaks and the first thing we have to think about is where to get gas for the car.
When I went to the bathroom, there was no liquidy fluid, just a lot of discharge.
I already knew about the mucous plug that keeps a lady's cervix sealed against germs until shortly before the baby is born. I knew that it can come out all at once or bit by bit. I wasn't quite sure what it looked like, though. Descriptions I'd read said that it was clear and jelly-like.
This did not accurately describe what was all over my pantyliner. It was kind of white-ish, snot-like, and there were little flecks of blood in it. I thought that maybe I have an infection.
I cleaned up, went and told Husband what was going on, and called my OBGYN's office.
"Sounds like your mucous plug is coming out," the nurse told me. I explained that it wasn't clear and "jelly-like" like I'd heard it's supposed to be. I thought "jelly-like" meant it would be a little denser than what I was experiencing. I mean "mucous plug" sounds like it has some substance to it, right? Not like it's the consistency of concrete, but the goopy stuff that came out of me didn't seem like the kind of thing that could stay wedged up in my cervix for months on end. It didn't seem viscous enough.
"Is it the consistency of snot?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"It's probably just your mucous plug. It could have been mixed with the normal discharge that comes with pregnancy, so it doesn't look clear. The blood is normal, too. As your plug comes out, it can take little pieces of blood with it because the whole reason that the plug is coming out is that your cervix is starting to dilate and that can cause some light bleeding..."
That night, I had more come out. Then more Wednesday (yesterday) morning. I had a check-up at my OBGYN's office yesterday afternoon and I talked to the midwife about it.
"Was it the consistency of snot?"
"Um. Yeah. Pretty much."
"Sounds like your mucous plug. But I'll look at a sample under the microscope and make sure that nothing else is going on."
Turns out that I have no infections. Just my mucous plug coming out.
More came out last night, and more has come out today. I have this image of Elise slowly tunneling her way out of my uterus.
In fact, I made myself laugh yesterday as I got a Bugs Bunny-like image of her popping her head out, looking around, and saying, "I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque."
This past Tuesday, I was sitting in Husband's office as we were finishing up our break. All of a sudden, I felt something warm between my legs. Husband saw the look of surprise on my face as I jumped up and closed his door.
I shoved my hand down my pants, but I didn't feel anything wet. I thought that maybe I'd started leaking amniotic fluid.
"Something just happened. Walk me to the bathroom?"
Husband and I found this situation amusing because just as we pulled into work that morning, Husband's low-gasoline light started blinking. "Wouldn't it be ironic if my water breaks today?" I'd said. Not that we wouldn't have the time to stop and fill up the gas tank, but it just seemed like the kind of thing that would happen. Boom! My water breaks and the first thing we have to think about is where to get gas for the car.
When I went to the bathroom, there was no liquidy fluid, just a lot of discharge.
I already knew about the mucous plug that keeps a lady's cervix sealed against germs until shortly before the baby is born. I knew that it can come out all at once or bit by bit. I wasn't quite sure what it looked like, though. Descriptions I'd read said that it was clear and jelly-like.
This did not accurately describe what was all over my pantyliner. It was kind of white-ish, snot-like, and there were little flecks of blood in it. I thought that maybe I have an infection.
I cleaned up, went and told Husband what was going on, and called my OBGYN's office.
"Sounds like your mucous plug is coming out," the nurse told me. I explained that it wasn't clear and "jelly-like" like I'd heard it's supposed to be. I thought "jelly-like" meant it would be a little denser than what I was experiencing. I mean "mucous plug" sounds like it has some substance to it, right? Not like it's the consistency of concrete, but the goopy stuff that came out of me didn't seem like the kind of thing that could stay wedged up in my cervix for months on end. It didn't seem viscous enough.
"Is it the consistency of snot?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"It's probably just your mucous plug. It could have been mixed with the normal discharge that comes with pregnancy, so it doesn't look clear. The blood is normal, too. As your plug comes out, it can take little pieces of blood with it because the whole reason that the plug is coming out is that your cervix is starting to dilate and that can cause some light bleeding..."
That night, I had more come out. Then more Wednesday (yesterday) morning. I had a check-up at my OBGYN's office yesterday afternoon and I talked to the midwife about it.
"Was it the consistency of snot?"
"Um. Yeah. Pretty much."
"Sounds like your mucous plug. But I'll look at a sample under the microscope and make sure that nothing else is going on."
Turns out that I have no infections. Just my mucous plug coming out.
More came out last night, and more has come out today. I have this image of Elise slowly tunneling her way out of my uterus.
In fact, I made myself laugh yesterday as I got a Bugs Bunny-like image of her popping her head out, looking around, and saying, "I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque."
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Eviction Notice
Things are moving along!
I had an OBGYN's appointment today. I am 1 centimeter dilated! Yay! I am 50% effaced! Yay! Elise is at station -2! Yay!
Let me translate, to the best of my ability and understanding.
Pregnant ladies have to dilate 10 centimeters before they can push the baby out, but most of that dilating happens once they start going into labor. Ladies can dilate a few centimeters before the REAL labor starts, though, and that's what my body has started doing. I'm 1/10th of the way to popping out a baby.
The cervix has to not only widen/dilate but also become thinner. Ultimately, pregnant ladies need to be 100% effaced. I'm half way there, at 50%.
And "station" refers to how far down into my pelvis the baby's head is. The stations go from -4, when the baby is floating and not at all in the pelvis, to +4, which is crowning. Elise is at -2, so she's 1/4th of the way there.
I've also started losing my mucous plug. Yay!
Soooooo... everything is totally normal and none of that indicates that she'll be arriving any time soon. Just that things are getting started. Like they should.
I'm ready to meet you, Elise!!!
I had an OBGYN's appointment today. I am 1 centimeter dilated! Yay! I am 50% effaced! Yay! Elise is at station -2! Yay!
Let me translate, to the best of my ability and understanding.
Pregnant ladies have to dilate 10 centimeters before they can push the baby out, but most of that dilating happens once they start going into labor. Ladies can dilate a few centimeters before the REAL labor starts, though, and that's what my body has started doing. I'm 1/10th of the way to popping out a baby.
The cervix has to not only widen/dilate but also become thinner. Ultimately, pregnant ladies need to be 100% effaced. I'm half way there, at 50%.
And "station" refers to how far down into my pelvis the baby's head is. The stations go from -4, when the baby is floating and not at all in the pelvis, to +4, which is crowning. Elise is at -2, so she's 1/4th of the way there.
I've also started losing my mucous plug. Yay!
Soooooo... everything is totally normal and none of that indicates that she'll be arriving any time soon. Just that things are getting started. Like they should.
I'm ready to meet you, Elise!!!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Car Seat For Baby
We bought a second car seat this weekend. We have one for each car now. That way, we won't have to go to the trouble of removing and reinstalling a car seat if we take a different car.
We already had one car seat, because we were required to have one in order to get our foster care license for young children. We'd bought a "convertible" car seat, meaning it can be back-facing for babies, then turned around to be forward-facing for bigger kids. I think that the one we got can hold kids up to 45 or 50 pounds. That's a really big kid, by the way.
The car seat that we bought this weekend is one of those baby car seats where you can remove the seat part from the base and carry the baby into the store/restaurant/whatever without unstrapping her. It only holds babies up to 22 pounds, but that's still pretty big, in my opinion, and until Elise can sit up on her own, I think that the removable seat will be handy.
Interesting fact that Husband pointed out to me: car seats expire. Turns out that the plastic slowly deteriorates and eventually the seat is considered unsafe. The convertible car seat that we bought about a year ago expires in 2015. So the seat lasts long enough for one or maybe two children, but you can't use it forever.
We already had one car seat, because we were required to have one in order to get our foster care license for young children. We'd bought a "convertible" car seat, meaning it can be back-facing for babies, then turned around to be forward-facing for bigger kids. I think that the one we got can hold kids up to 45 or 50 pounds. That's a really big kid, by the way.
The car seat that we bought this weekend is one of those baby car seats where you can remove the seat part from the base and carry the baby into the store/restaurant/whatever without unstrapping her. It only holds babies up to 22 pounds, but that's still pretty big, in my opinion, and until Elise can sit up on her own, I think that the removable seat will be handy.
Interesting fact that Husband pointed out to me: car seats expire. Turns out that the plastic slowly deteriorates and eventually the seat is considered unsafe. The convertible car seat that we bought about a year ago expires in 2015. So the seat lasts long enough for one or maybe two children, but you can't use it forever.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Middle of the Night Contractions
Aside from being sick, I got horrible sleep last night. I woke up a zillion times in the middle of the night. There was my usual THREE trips to the bathroom to pee. And then I woke up at least another 6 times (I think more) because I was having contractions.
I have contractions all throughout the day now. Last week, I kept track of how many I had on one particular day and it was over 20. But I don't usually get woken up in the night because of them. I don't know if I just don't have any while I'm sleeping or if they aren't strong enough to wake me, but I've never noticed them before.
I'm having a contraction as I type this, in fact.
But anyhow, last night I woke up having a contraction. I turned over and went back to sleep. Then I woke up again from a contraction. By the third one, I thought to myself, "Maybe my labor has started." But I decided that if that was the case, the best thing I could do is try to get some sleep before it got any worse. I had a few more contractions and by morning they were gone.
I'm so tired today. My body is really getting ready! I wonder if any of these contractions are dialating my cervix. I hope that they are.
I have contractions all throughout the day now. Last week, I kept track of how many I had on one particular day and it was over 20. But I don't usually get woken up in the night because of them. I don't know if I just don't have any while I'm sleeping or if they aren't strong enough to wake me, but I've never noticed them before.
I'm having a contraction as I type this, in fact.
But anyhow, last night I woke up having a contraction. I turned over and went back to sleep. Then I woke up again from a contraction. By the third one, I thought to myself, "Maybe my labor has started." But I decided that if that was the case, the best thing I could do is try to get some sleep before it got any worse. I had a few more contractions and by morning they were gone.
I'm so tired today. My body is really getting ready! I wonder if any of these contractions are dialating my cervix. I hope that they are.
36 WEEKS!
36 weeks! 36 weeks! I'm officially full-term! Woo hoo!
Technically, the baby could arrive any day now. Although it'll probably be at least another 4 weeks.
I don't care!
I can see the finish line from here!!!
Technically, the baby could arrive any day now. Although it'll probably be at least another 4 weeks.
I don't care!
I can see the finish line from here!!!
Sick Again
I'm sick today. Caught it from Husband and Foster Son. Cough, congestion, headache, tummy ache. Blah. Being pregnant AND sick is awful.
I've actually been remarkably healthy during this pregnancy. I attribute it to the vitamins. I guess I can't complain too much, because overall I've been pretty lucky to have avoided most of the colds and flus and viruses that have been going around for the past 9 months.
I just reeeeeeeally hope that I'm healthy by the time Elise decides to arrive. I don't want to be coughing up phlegm while I'm pushing.
I've actually been remarkably healthy during this pregnancy. I attribute it to the vitamins. I guess I can't complain too much, because overall I've been pretty lucky to have avoided most of the colds and flus and viruses that have been going around for the past 9 months.
I just reeeeeeeally hope that I'm healthy by the time Elise decides to arrive. I don't want to be coughing up phlegm while I'm pushing.
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